Chinese Hibiscus

Cut Chinese hibiscus back by up to 1/3 of the plant's height in early spring after it has stopped blooming. If the Chinese hibiscus is still blooming, wait until it is placed outdoors to do any pruning. Once you cut back the bush, shape it as desired by pruning out weak wood.

How to Repot Houseplants

When you bring your new indoor plant home, it is better to repot it in a new container with fresh soil. Simply select a container one size larger than the one it´s in. Slip the plant from it´s pot. Gently remove all the old soil and unravel any bound roots, then repot the plant in it´s new home. Fertilise the plant and water it thoroughly.

Using Grow Lamps Correctly

Beginning indoor gardeners often get frustrated when grow lamps do not give the results they expected. Two main reasons for this can be:
1. The lamp is placed too far away from the plant. Grow lamps should be placed 12 to 18 inches from the plant to work properly.
2. The lamp is not Full Spectrum. Sunlight contains many frequencies of light from visible, to UV, to Gamma, Alpha, and Beta Radiation. Grow lamps often only provide one end or the other of the spectrum. They come in "hot" varieties and "cold" varieties. To mimic the sun as best as we can, we need both a "hot" bulb and a "cold" bulb. Be sure to ask your local nurseryman for a grow lamp that has both or simply use two grow lamps.

Chrysanthemum

For bushier chrysanthemum plants, pinch them back to a height of about six inches until mid July, when flower buds for fall begin to form. When a chrysanthemum is pinched back, two new branches come out from each tip. To make larger flowers, remove all but the strongest flower bud on each shoot.

Humidity for Indoor Plants

To increase humidity for indoor plants, set a small plastic cup beside them and fill it with water. As the water evaporates, it humidifies the air immediately surrounding the plant. Sometimes this small amount of water makes all the difference.

Another easy way to provide better humidity
for houseplants is to use a mister to deposit a coating of small droplets of water over the leaves. It is best to mist in the morning, so that the leaves will dry before nightfall. Do not mist the plant where any foliage is exposed to direct sunlight.

Eggshell Tea

To feed your plants calcium, put several eggshells in a jar filled with water. Let the mixture stand for a few days. Use this solution to water your plants. The eggshells are an excellent source of calcium. You can also use the left over water from boiling eggs to water your plants.

African Violets

Insert a few rusty nails into the soil around your African violets. The blossoms will be larger, more profuse and brighter. The nail provides a slow release of valuable minerals to African violet plants.

Keep Your Leaves Clean

To freshen your dusty houseplant leaves, wash both sides in one easy step. Dip an old cotton glove in tepid water, run the leaves between your fingers and they will look fresh and clean.

Ideal Temperature For Indoor Plants

Indoor plants perform better when the nighttime temperatures are at least 10 degrees cooler than the day-time temperature.
The ideal temperature range for plants is about 70 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night.

Light Requirements

Most indoor plants have surprisingly high light requirements, needing up to 16 hours of light a day. To see if your plants' light requirements are being met, hold your hand over a plant on a sunny day. If you don't see a shadow, move the plant closer to a window. However, don't let plants touch the window because cold windows can give leaves frostbite; hot glass can sizzle a leaf tip.

Prune Your Poinsettia

Old poinsettia plants should be cut back to within six inches of the pot in April and then transplanted to a new pot. An even better idea is to root cuttings taken from the old poinsettia plant to create fresh, vigorous plants.

Potted Mums

When buying potted mums, make sure that there is a fair amount of color showing through the buds. If you buy potted mums in tight bud, they may never open. A good potted mum should have 20 or so buds showing color, with more to come.

Root Rot

If you have a plant that is suffering from root rot, all hope is not lost. Remove the plant from the soil and gently wash the roots in tepid water. Then, dip them in a glass with one to two teaspoons of anti-bacterial mouth wash and eight ounces of water to stop the root rot from spreading. Place the plants in clean, sterilized soil. Water them with tea made from flowering dogwood branches or willow branches. First you must kill the bacteria, then you need to promote regrowth. A light fertilizer will also help the roots re-establish.

Grape Ivy

Grape ivy will grow in full to low light.
Plant this ivy in regular potting soil and feed it with houseplant food every three or four weeks. Water grape ivy frequently in the summer, but water less often in the winter if you notice brown patches on the leaves. Once grape ivy is established, it will grow prolifically.

Decorative Containers And Drainage Holes

Many decorative containers can be purchased that do not have drainage holes. If you prefer to not drill drainage holes into them, simply place a level layer of rocks or pebbles into the decorative container. Then, place your plant into a pot that does have drainage holes and put it into the decorataive container on top of the rock layer. Spaces between the two pots can be filled with soil or peat moss.

Bromeliads

You cannot water bromeliads the same way you water other plants. Add water to the center cup of the plant and only keep the soil slightly damp. An occasional misting, twice a week, keeps bromeliad leaves clean and provides humidity.

Controlling Spider Mites and Aphids

At least once a month, inspect your houseplants for signs of spider mites or aphids. Be sure to examine under the leaves as well. Making this a regular habit will make it less likely that you´ll ever be faced with a major infestation, as you will catch the problem early. If you do find any spider mites or aphids, use an insecticidal soap to control them.

Fuchsia

Pinch back the tips of your fuchsia plants in early spring to help them become bushier. Be sure you don't pinch back the tips of your fuchsia plant too many times or you will remove flower buds.

Prevent Pests

It is easier to prevent pests on plants than it is to get rid of them after they've taken hold. To prevent pests on indoor plants, you should:

1. Freeze potting soil before using it. This will help kill pests that hatch when the soil warms up.

2. Wash plants that have been outside over the summer with insecticidal soap to remove any pests.

3. Check plants at least once a month for signs of pests and treat them immediately.